Best Small Shops' "Meet the Innovators" series kicks off with Jacobs the Jewellers following their successful reopening
Posted on in Business News
This year's Best 
Small Shops competition will see the addition of a special new category celebrating small retailers that overcame adversity in the form of the COVID-19 crisis and innovated during lockdown, or prepared their business for life as restrictions have loosened.
Our ‘Meet the Innovators' series will highlight some of the small shops that did something special during this difficult time, starting with Jacobs the Jewellers, who are based in Reading.
Jacobs were visited by Alok Sharma MP, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Industry - after being recognised locally for setting a great example as a business successfully reopening following lockdown. We spoke to Adam Jacobs of Jacobs about his lockdown experience.
"During lockdown we emphasised our online abilities more heavily than before, putting phone consultations, online chats and video consultations if requested, at the centre of the online buying process.
"Our type of jewellery and watches have always required explanation and supporting assistance so by altering our website to promote this we dramatically improved our online sales.
"A new online appointment booking service embedded in our website was also introduced pre-opening. This smoothed customer flow and allowed personal selection of visiting times to suit.
"This has been enthusiastically picked up and is very popular, with 109 appointments being made in under 3 weeks for both repairs and new sales consultations. We'll definitely keep this on in conjunction with our National Association of Jewellers StoreSafe Covid-19 protocols."
Speaking about what he and has colleagues learned about the business during lockdown, Adam added: "We learned that we can be imaginative, creative, positive and resilient. We have a strong team dynamic and we bonded further with regular, weekly lockdown communications.
"Independents have a uniquely open and giving support structure almost hardwired in their DNA - that's what makes us special."
Enter your shop in the Best Small Shops Competition ‘Most Innovative Business During COVID-19' category here: bestsmallshops.uk/enter-now/.